Essay Example on Female Terrorists: Breaking the Stereotype

Introduction

According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), women have been part of terrorist movements both as fighters and support systems despite the widespread common belief that terrorists have been male (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). Until recently, one can see identify this gendering of terrorism, since women have been involved in a chain of terrorism activities. For instance, with the recent "religious wave," women have taken different roles as actual terrorists and perpetrators of terror activities in uprisings and insurgencies around India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Kenya, Palestine, and Afghanistan. In the history of terrorism, it is evident that women have been participants in different ways around the globe (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2019). This paper will discuss different motivations that push women into participating in Islamic terrorist groups and the various roles they plan in the Islamic groups.

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The Motivation for Women Participation in Islamic Terrorism

With a more in-depth view of women in terrorism, Banks (2019) attempts to understand the motivation behind women becoming terrorists. According to such studies, they imply that women may feel motivated to get involved in terrorism as an outcome of oppression based on gender or represent the act of liberated feminists (Banks, 2019). For example, the Palestinian women involved with terrorism felt a sense of liberation (Banks, 2019). By imposing a connection between power and social relations, Arabic female suicide bombers have been seen as symbolic brides in Palestine that appear to recognize empowerment (Banks, 2019). In other cases, women might have similar motivations as men, by finding their motivation from experiences and social activities that may symbolize intimate connection to the community. Through the history of terrorism, women have been seen more than often participating in terrorism. For example, the Boko Haram in Nigeria have developed militant feminism, whereby, of all the suicide bombings, only two have been done my males (Banks, 2019). However, women's active participation in terrorist organizations is increasing over time.

Specifically, women have been used as suicide bombers, which points out the violence-related to the weaponization of the females (Banks, 2019). The weaponization of women has served as a particular way to promote the terrorist aspirations of greater media focus, increased panic and fear, expanded recruitment, and has created massive sympathy for the terrorism causes. Such perceptions are based on the specific assumption that females lack the definite credibility to be defined as terrorists since they might not fit in the stereotypical description of terrorists. However, based on the perception that women are less likely to cause unnecessary attraction or suspicion, it means that they have a high capacity to hide explosives and might not be subjected to strict security measures.

Additionally, women in Islamic terrorism are perceived differently from the men both in the societies and in the media as well. For example, the media coverage for female Islamic terrorists is inclined towards a specific focus on the possible motivation of women towards terrorist activities (Banks, 2019). In contrast, men terrorists are assumed to have motivation from the religious beliefs of the specific terrorist groups as well as their organization in terms of politics, among others. When the media focuses on the women terrorists, this could prove helpful to the Islamic terrorist groups like Islamic State (ISIS), Jihad, Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban (Banks, 2019). It is because media coverage is likely to extend its search beyond the terrorist activities and focus on practices like discrimination, hardships, and other social conditions that the specific Islamic terrorist group might be experiencing.

The Role of Women in Islamic Terrorist Groups

With a view on the role of women in Islamic terrorist groups like ISIS, the group has held a unique capability to capitalize on women in their operation. As the group possesses a significant threat to the international community, its treatment of women has placed the group among the biggest and worst perpetrators of gender-based crimes (Spencer, 2016). Despite the rough treatment of women, ISIS places the women in various positions and holds the responsibility of becoming wives to ISIS fighters, giving birth to a new generation of Jihadists, as well as advancing ISIS's global reach (Spencer, 2016). Since every terrorist group might hold differing ideologies, the participation of women varies from group to group. Despite the differences, numerous studies suggest that there is a common trend in terms of women's involvement in Islamic terrorism. For example, in leftist's terrorist groups fighting for independence or to liberate the nation from oppressors, women are seen to hold operational roles (Spencer, 2016). On the other hand, in right-wing terrorist groups that do not focus on the transformation of the society but to bring terror and war, women hold minimal or no operational roles (Spencer, 2016).

In Islamist extremist groups like the Hamas and Al-Qaeda, the roles played by women in the past involved the provision of logistics and moral support. However, over recent times, female participation has increased, with the majority of the women now executing suicide missions (Spencer, 2016). For the Al-Qaeda, they follow various concepts of the female Jihad. The female Jihad argues that women are likely to carry political actions to support the males, educate children about the Jihad ideology, and facilitate operations. Although some women might follow the male Jihad interpretation of attacking, they are still encouraged to adhere to the female Jihad ideology (Spencer, 2016). Conclusion

With the phenomenon of terrorism and the current state of conflict involving terrorism and Homeland Security, women have become a significant danger as they get involved in terrorist actions. With suicide bombing being their primary practice, it is essential to understand the different motivations pushing them to terrorism as well as the specific roles they play in different Islamic terrorist groups. However, women's active participation in terrorist organizations is increasing over time. While this has developed and generated questions concerning gendered terrorism, it draws on the relationship between gender and terrorism.

References

Banks, C. (2019). Introduction: Women, Gender, and Terrorism: Gendering Terrorism. Women & Criminal Justice, 29:4-5, 181-187. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2019.1633612

Spencer, A. (2016). The Hidden Face of Terrorism: An Analysis of the Women in Islamic State. Journal of Strategic Security, 9(3), 74-98. www.jstor.org/stable/26473339

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2019). UNODC addresses the gender dimensions of criminal justice responses to terrorism. United Nations: Office on Drugs and Crime. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2019/July/unodc-addresses-gender-dimensions-of-criminal-justice-responses-to-terrorism.html.